Dogpatch USA – The strange abandoned theme park

When Dogpatch USA, a “rustic” theme park based on Al Capp’s Appalachia-stereotyping “L’il Abner” comic strip, finally closed its gates for good in 1993, the park itself must have breathed a giant sigh of relief. During its 25-year run, Dogpatch USA experienced numerous owners, heat waves, lawsuits, legal battles, bankruptcy, fierce competition (curse you, Silver Dollar City!), the fall of hillbilly pop culture and a generation of young patrons who had no clue what “L’il Abner” even was — a lot for an Ozarkian amusement park where the top attractions included Earthquake McGoon’s Brain Rattler.

Although some efforts to clean up the heavily vandalized rural property have been made over the years, the park, under interesting new ownership, remains in a state of disrepair.